Rare Cotton-headed Tamer Triplets Born at Dickerson Park Zoo

On Monday, July 29, triplet monkeys were born at the Dickerson Park Zoo.

The cotton-headed monkey is native to South America and is critically endangered. According to a zoo press release, these monkeys are among the rarest primates in the world.

The mother, Kiki, is 5 years old and the father, Super Cutie, is 16. The tamarins are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Program within the AZA Network, which works to maintain a genetically diverse and biologically healthy population, according to the Dickerson Park Zoo.

Baby tamarins cling to their mothers for the first few months of their lives. They also have access to an indoor area at the zoo. The sex of the triplets is not yet known.

Dickerson Park Zoo is open daily from 9am to 5pm

According to National Geographic:

“Cotton-top tamarins are named for the tufts of white hair that surround their heads, a look reminiscent of Albert Einstein. About the size of a squirrel, cotton-top tamarins also have a white chest and belly, while their backs and tails are covered in long black and brown fur. They have claw-like nails, which are essential for jumping from tree to tree in their forest habitat.

They “live in a small forest area in northwestern Colombia. They forage through the middle canopy for the fruits and insects that form a large part of their diet, although they will also eat larger vertebrates.

“Cotton-top tamarins form social family groups that include brood parents, their adult offspring, and even unrelated adults who have migrated into the group. Because tamarin pups are often born as twins and are often disproportionately heavy—weighing about 15 to 20 percent of their mother’s body weight—these adult group members literally help the tamarin parents carry the load.

“Deforestation and human activities are the biggest threats to the survival of the cotton-headed tamarin.”

Steve Pokin

Steve Pokin writes the columns Pokin Around and The Answer Man for the Springfield Daily Citizen. He also writes about criminal justice issues. He can be reached at [email protected]. His office line is 417-837-3661. More from Steve Pokin